what are you dreaming of?

On this grey winter day, I'm dreaming of walking through a lush green garden.

a walk through many shades
of deep greens in a beautiful garden

a beautiful blue backdrop

A cloudless, deep-blue sky makes the perfect visual backdrop for the many shapes and forms of a winter (yet snowless) winter landscape. With the sun shining brightly, all of the textures and lines are illuminated in a most beautiful way. What would you name the color of the sky in these photos?  

classic color combinations: blue & green

What better way to see perfect color combinations than in nature? I brought my camera and a new lens on a walk today in the nearby University of Wisconsin Arboretum and snapped a few photos of  evergreens and the most gorgeous blue sky. There's no snow on the ground here, and it feels unseasonally mild outdoors, but despite this unusual weather, it was still a beautiful winter day. 

merry christmas!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas - I know I did. It was a beautiful day spent at my parents' home. Here are a few of their gorgeous ornaments. Their tree looked stunning!

light and reflections

Christmas Eve - what else is there to say? Perfection!

candlelight

flowerful friday

With Christmas just 2 days away here are some beautiful flowers and foliage that bring so much beauty to this happy holiday! 

the winter solstice

In the northern hemisphere, today is the winter solstice - the shortest day of the year - marking the beginning of longer days and shorter nights. Here's to days with more light!

Christmastime joys

Here's our little kitty, Nino, enjoying the lovely lights on our Christmas tree. I really do think he loves Christmastime - I mean, there's a real live tree in the living room - what cat wouldn't love Christmastime? It's so fun to watch him taking all of the ornaments and lights in while sniffing the freshly cut tree. This is one of my favorite Christmastime joys. 

It might take a few seconds for the video to load, but I think it's worth the wait. :-)

patterns perfected, part 3

Continuing with the theme of how the Ottomans and the Turks seem to have perfected the use of patterns, I've put together a handful of photos from my recent trip to Turkey. 

gilded beauty at the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

serenity encapsulated - the Blue Mosque, Istanbul

sun light on a Turkish rug, Alacati

gorgeous use of colors in tile work -
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

stunning floral motif -
 silk with pearls, gold, and gems
at the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

more tile - floral motif
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

even the ground below is decorated

amazing, isn't it?
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

mosaics, carvings, and amazing details
Aya Sofia, Istanbul

Minimalistic, they are not, but I think the photos show just how amazingly intricate and beautiful Turkish patterns and decor are. 

patterns perfected part 2

What better way to be reminded of a wonderful vacation to a far-off land than with a souvenir that embodies the destination of one's trip? Here's a close-up photo of a Turkish platter. This type of ceramic is so quintessentially Turkish - with tulips, their national flower, and carnations, their symbol of strength. I adore the use of bold colors and soft lines. And every time I look at the platter, prominently displayed in our dining room, I am instantly and happily reminded of a country far away that I was lucky enough to travel to!

a little bit of Turkey,
now at home

patterns perfected part 1

I enjoy photographing close-ups of details I find beautiful. When I was in Istanbul recently my husband and I visited Topkapi Palace. I snapped this photograph of just one example of the Ottoman's brilliant use of patterns. 

blues and whites with
black and golds

light and reflections

Simply colored tea-lights brighten up and add so much warmth to a dark winter evening.

flowerful friday

Lovely flowers from my wonderful husband brighten up our entry-way with both color and fragrance. When I unwrapped them, opening up the florist paper, it was like summertime wafted through the air! Such a nice wintertime diversion!

creamy whites, shades of blues,
bright pinks and of course, greens

a sweetly scented rose

frilly pink & beautiful

so very summery!

gorgeous petals and textures

Happy Friday!

10 days until Christmas!

With work trips and visiting with family and friends, this month has flown by so quickly, I really can't believe Christmas is just 10 days away. Yes, the tree is up, decorated, and I have to say, looking rather gorgeous. But, I've yet to address a single Christmas card. That's on my to-do list for the very immediate future! I remember as a kid loving to see and read all of the Christmas cards that were sent to my parents - this was back before email, certainly before blogging - when that once-a-year card meant so very much, each card with a nice handwritten note and maybe a few photos enclosed too. I hate to see this tradition wane, but it does seem that every year fewer and fewer cards get sent out. 

It's been another tradition of mine to buy cards that support the UNICEF organization. I always pick mine up at Pier1, but I've seen them at other shops like Barnes and Noble too. If you're not familiar with UNICEF or you'd like to learn a little bit more about their mission check out their website: http://www.unicefusa.org/work/.

Their shop website is: http://www.unicefusa.org/shop/. 

I think it's truly a wonderful cause to support.